OscarPug - My Take on Hollywood's Big Night

Yeah, I watched the Oscars. I thought they (It?) were entertaining as far as award shows go. And yeah, most of my choices won (Zootopia! Yeah!). But I have to say this one left me feeling a little. . .

Well maybe a POEM will help express myself better

The Oscars

By 

Noodles Hamilton

On this night we gather

Our HDTV panel alit

Snacks, Beverage, veggie platter

What ever the table will fit

Our MISSION, should we choose

To pick a movie, dress and actor

That special MUSE

A great distractor

from our daily matter

WHO AM I FOOLING?

This is how I watched the Academy Awards program

Friday Means Yarns, Academy Awards, Reading Time

 To be honest, I don't know what IF ANYTHING Mommy has planned for us this weekend. I mean, today she worked . . . does not involve me . . . she vacuumed . . . definitely does not involve me. . . and she ran errands. . . no byebye for me.

So I asked her "Mommy, what plans do WE have this weekend (hinting not so subtly that she should include me)?"

Well, she said, I plan to

1. Go to Stitches West and see what is new in the world of yarn and knitting. Maybe I will take a class or two. "Do they allow PUGS," I asked? Well, no, she said. 
2. Going to watch the Academy Awards. That, she said, involves SNACKS, BEVERAGES, and a lot of SNUGGLE time with Noodles.
3. Clean the bathroom - "I don't particularly like to do that Mommy," I said. Neither do I Noodles, she countered. But someone's gotta do it!
4. Read the new book by our FURiend Lucy's HuMOM (Feeling Beachie) : Plan Cee. Mommy got a preview of it and so far she really likes it! She said it comes out very soon and right now GoodReads is doing a giveaway 

Goodreads Book Giveaway



Plan Cee

by Hilary Grossman

Giveaway ends March 15, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway
5. Take a walk to see Auntie B who will be in town. Oh that will be the MOST FUN OF ALL.

I hope you all have a great weekend full of good times and good stuff.

It's A Challenge, Part Two . . . #chewyinfluencer

It has been two weeks (and a little extra) since Chewy.com asked me to participate in the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK challenge and I gotta tell you . . .

It is NO Challenge whatsoever

I mean, if the challenge is to EAT the food, then it is no contest. I happily eat this food. It has all of the requisite features I look for in a food 

• It is Yummy
• It is Crunchy (this is not a hard fast rule)
• It is FOOD

VOILA! Meets all of my requirements. It has been a pleasure to HAVE to eat this food.

Mommy, however has more stringent requirements regarding protein, vitamins, fat content. For the MOST part, the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK meets her standards. The main ingredients are Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Pea flour, Whole Dried Potatoes, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Flaxseed, Cranberries, Duck, Quail, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Sweet Potatoes

She does wish there was less PEA PROTEIN, MEALS of all kinds, and PULP and larger amounts of Duck, Quail and Fish proteins. That, to Mommy would be a higher quality food. But of course, that would raise the cost of making the food and put it in a different category. For a mid-priced food, Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK is very good.

This is a SATISFYING food, though. I am satisfied on relatively small portions (D-I-E-T portions is what I mean to say) and as a result my weight is staying down in the 15-16 pound range which is PERFECT for me. Even Molly likes a few pieces in her soft food. She still has a couple of molars so she can eat some satisfyingly crunchy foods now and then.

The one downside so far is my BELCHING. Yes, I have been belching A LOT since the challenge began and Mommy cannot figure out what in this food is making me BELCH. And these are STINKY belches, not ladylike at all. Last night I coupled frequent BELCHING with farting and was booted out of my FAVORITE spot next to Mommy's feet. Note to self - do NOT beg for Brussels Sprouts. They make me toot.

So Belching aside, I think this food is pretty much living up to expectations - at least in terms of what the commercials say. Is it any better than the other foods in the NUTRISH Line? Well THAT's a topic for our FINAL CHALLENGE POST.

*I received no monies for this review nor was I told what to write. I was given enough food to eat, possibly enjoy, and to rate the food in terms of what it does for ME, Noodles the Pug. All opinions are my own.

Hopping Through Life On a Wordless Wednesday

Not really Hopping

Unless you count HOPPING through

Puddles

But we ARE Hopping 

in Blogville

Hop Here

OR

Love and What it Means in MY House - #NationalLoveYourPetDay

I am always open to suggestions about what to write on this BLOG. As clever as I am, writing a blog 5 days a week can sometimes stretch the imagination and creativity to its limits. Last week sometime  SimpliSafe.com contacted me with a blog idea. SimpliSafe.com is a company concerned with home security, is very very into PET SAFETY. The company wanted to know what my HUMOM does to keep me and Molly and Sunshine the Cat and Jade the Parakeet save and happy.So Mommy #2 asked for my help and this is what we came up with. . . because, you know, SAFETY is part of LOVE.

I didn't want to just list the things that keep me safe so I decided to take you on a TOUR of our SAFETY steps.

Look how cozy this pen is . . .and the "flags" are bandanas we
got from different dog expositions and fairs

1. The primary way Molly and I are kept safe is to confine us when the HUMANS leave the house. We are never allowed to wander the house unless a family member is present. This keeps us (Molly) from exploring the trash can and recycle bag in the kitchen, climbing up on chairs or couch backs which we may fall from and get hurt, opening cabinets and getting into whatever is stored inside (which may sometimes not be so good for a pet). We use a pen and neither one of us is big enough to jump out of it. If we were, like Daisy who visited over Christmas,we would be crated. I think most dogs like the security of a small space when they are alone - I KNOW I DO.

2. We keep no poisons in the cabinet under the sink or in the bathrooms. This habit began with the HUMAN kids and continues. There is no real reason to keep drain cleaner and such under a sink. What is under our sinks are dishwashing soap, plant food and vases. Pretty tame stuff and safe for pets. Even sponges are kept out in the garage and up high. Both Molly and I are out of the puppy stage but when we were smaller - everything was a chew toy.

3. Plants they might be poisonous to pets are kept up on a shelf and not on the floor or table. We try not to have them around the house anyhow but who doesn't like poinsettias at Christmas?

These are some of the houseplants we have. The poinsettia has long gone to the garbage (it would have gone to the yard but "someone" not a dog forgot to water it.

4. Stairs are blocked off with kiddie or doggy gate. Right now it is a doggy gate since the kids are all 10 years and older. Before it was a kiddie gate. Again minimizing the danger is MY MOMMY'S favorite course of action with kids and dogs. Our stairs are steep and can be dangerous if a kid or pet trips on them or tumbles down them (it has happened despite the precaution).

5. Pet food and treats are up high and not on any cabinet that can be moved. One of us (Molly) is clever (?) enough to jump on a cabinet until something falls down. That creates a huge hazard not just from the falling object but also from the spilled food. I admit I will eat spilled food until I fall into a coma without realizing the danger of eating that much. Best to leave all temptation in an inaccessible (for the dogs) place.

6. Outside our fences are frequently checked for holes or small gaps. Neither Molly nor I are overly adventurous but why

This is what happens after
a rain - weeds immediately
grow! Mushrooms, too.

chance it? Sometimes we dog sit for friends and so have to be cautious for their well being as well. We do not have poisonous plants outside either. On warm days following a lot of rain, Mommy #2 checks for mushrooms and removes them all. It just takes a small bite to kill a dog. And pugs will sample anything. We have had a couple of dog FURIENDS who died from eating wild mushrooms and it freaks me out. So Mommy and I try to be very proactive with that.

 7. The front door is usually not opened unless we are confined. Even we little homebodies will sometimes get excited and dash from the house.

8. TREATS. A major concern. We get small instantly consumable treats when we are left alone. This is just to reward us for staying in the pen. We never get chewies or dental treats which take a long time to chew unless we are supervised. And we are not allowed to chew hours on end - one hour at most and then the chewy is taken away. We are not allowed to have rawhide - as small dogs our systems cannot handle it. And I, Noodles the Pug, has been banned from bully sticks because I like to soften them and swallow as much as possible. When Mommy had to pull a 4 inch strip from my throat to stop me from choking, She said that was it. Banned. 

9. Toys are inspected regularly for tears, small pieces coming off, squeakers exposed. . . etc. WHO  can afford an emergency vet visit to remove a blockage?

I got a brand new SOCK
MONKEY for Valentines Day

10. Training - Mommy spent a lot of time and strained her voice over and over to get ME to stop chewing on branches and wood. Same reason as above. I enjoy it but the hazard is not worth the small amount of pleasure from chewing a stick. I never even think of chewing a stick anymore. And making me sit when the door opens . . .  and teaching me to "drop" on command whatever is in my mouth in case it is dangerous. . . and so on. Training has saved my curly tail more than once.

The TOUR ends here. This is just some of the things our Mommys do to keep us SAFE and make us feel LOVED. I know they do a lot more. It is so important that we all - pet and human alike - stay aware of danger and do our best to AVOID it or ELIMINATE it altogether,

Happy National Love Your Pet Day

We Are Family

Make no mistake about it - I am fiercely protective of my family. That goes for Sunshine the Cat, as well as Molly. That goes for my Mommys, as well as my Aunts and Cousins. Why? Because we are family and that is what we do.

What does FAMILY mean to you? Yes, it means security. It means a regular meal and fresh water. It means a place to sleep. A lot of time it means having someone to cuddle with and give you lots of attention (it sure does in my family).

To pets in shelters or (shudder) wandering the streets looking for a home, F-A-M-I-L-Y is a dream, an ideal. Something they know they want even if they have seldom had one.

To me FAMILY is everything. My family is the reason I get up in the morning. I cannot imagine a single day without each and every one of my family members and I hope I never have to. I know they have my back at ALL TIMES and I have theirs.

Princess Leah JUST reminded me to include FURiend/Friends in my definition of FAMILY. She is so very very right. My FURiends are indeed my family and I will ferociously defend them as well.

family

[fam-uh-lee, fam-lee] 

 

• Examples
• Word Origin

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural families.

1.

1. a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children,considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not:
   the traditional family.
2. a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with thechildren they care for:
   a single-parent family.

2.

the children of one person or one couple collectively:

We want a large family.

3.

the spouse and children of one person:

We're taking the family on vacation next week.

4.

any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children,uncles, aunts, and cousins:

to marry into a socially prominent family.

5.

all those persons considered as descendants of a common progenitor.

6.

Chiefly British. approved lineage, especially noble, titled, famous, orwealthy ancestry:

young men of family.

7.

a group of persons who form a household under one head, includingparents, children, and servants.

I LOVE a Good Challenge - #chewyinfluencer

I was napping on Mommy's lap when the email came in. 

I love a good CHALLENGE so when Chewy.com contacted me about a new challenge, I jumped at it. I mean, I literally JUMPED at the opportunity to try a new food. I did not even investigate it other than the name. That is how excited I was to TAKE ON THIS NEW CHALLENGE.

The challenge for me is NOT finding a food I like. Nope, I like pretty much LIKE and eat everything. And I am pretty sure if you go through all of the reviews I have done you will see that I have liked all of the foods I have tried.

The challenge for me is finding out

1. Is the food FILLING
2. Is the food weight friendly
3. Is the food economical (not necessarily inexpensive)

Within a week I received this BIG BAG of food from Ms. Natalie at Chewy.com. That's a lot of food and I was happy dancing all over the house because it was ALL FOR ME. Okay, okay, I give Molly a few pieces of kibble because even though she is almost toothless she likes a crunch now and then.

Chewy.com you spoil me!

I like the look of the bag, don't you? It is all outdoorsy and STUFF and it really gave me a sense of healthiness. I completely fell into your trap MARKETING PERSON. But although the packaging certainly attracted me, there is more to product review than a pretty package. I needed to SMELL the product. . .  SEE the product. . . FEEL the product . . . and yes. . . TASTE the product.

The food in question is the latest in Rachel Ray's NUTRISH family of dog foods - PEAK. This kibble is different from her other formulas in that it is NUTRIENT rich with 30% more protein. Why, you may ask, is this important? It is more satisfying for one. Dogs thrive on a high protein diet (not as high as cats, though, who require almost 100% protein). Protein gives a PUG more energy and makes her more ALERT. It is also more filling without being fattening. I am proud I am down to a reasonable 15-16 pounds and I plan to keep my weight right there. So it is important to me that I am not eating empty calories. Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK also contains no grain, no gluten and no fillers which translate into BAD FOR YOU. Dogs and Pugs do not need grains, at least not much. And gluten + fillers is just asking for trouble. Give me good farm raised or naturally sourced food please.

I opted for the NORTHERN WOODLANDS FORMULA which is Turkey, Duck, and Quail. The other available PEAK is OPEN RANGE FORMULA which is Beef, Venison and Lamb. Both sound yummy to me, to be honest. But I am more of a poultry gal so that is the way we went.

Here are the ingredients - note the first, I dunno, TEN are all real food. The rest which are LESS pronounceable are naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and so on. ALL GOOD STUFF - Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Pea flour, Whole Dried Potatoes, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Flaxseed, Cranberries, Duck, Quail, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Sweet Potatoes, Salt, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Mommy decided to TORTURE me and make me POSE with the food before she would let me eat it. Very cruel. This is the kibble in comparison to me. It is a good size, don't you think? Not too small so big dogs have a good mouth feel and not too big so that little dogs wouldn't have trouble biting into it. Just the right size for PUGS who run the middle ground between the two.

Mommy. . . . Mommy . . . MOMMY!!! See this here? I want to eat this here food right now. How will I know if I like it if you don't let me taste it?

Mommy does this. She likes to make me sit and be a good girl before I get to gobble. I play her game because I know at the end of the day I WIN.

This is me SAMPLING the kibble on the floor. It is just as yummy as I imagined it would be. The TURKEY taste is so rich and inviting. . . and the DUCK is out of this world gamey and dense. . . and the QUAIL is so subtle but definitely there. Oh this is really good stuff. Time will tell though if this this is GOOD STUFF, if you know what I mean.

Mommy wanted me to point to that piece of kibble on the edge. I am NOT a show dog, Mommy. You can't make me do a bunch of tricks for your entertainment. She finally had to HAND FEED me that bite. Hahahahaha! She does not like to do that. She knows it's a POWER PLAY by me.

So that is the tale of our challenge. We look forward to sharing with you our progress and thoughts while eating this new food. If taste alone was KEY, well I can tell you Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK would be a winner. BUT it is not all about taste. So be patient THERE IS MORE TO COME.